#303 - JHB

When I was in 8th grade (or maybe 9th), my mom was teaching at VC.  She taught English and Speech and this particular year, she was in charge of the high school theater production.  (Now that I think about it, maybe I was still in elementary school...hmmm...)  Anyway, the production was Pippin.  It was a musical and I remember going to play practice with my mom and watching the older kids sing and dance.  For a long time, I could remember every word to every song in the play, but now, I just recognize the tune when I hear it. 

I've got Magic to Do...just for you...I've got miracle plays to play.
I've got parts to perform...hearts to warm
Kings and Queens to take by storm
As we go along....our waaaaaay.

Anyway, at the time, I really thought the entire play, singing, and dancing etc was so cool.  They made it look so easy.  (Which I found out was a total lie when I took an acting class in college...but that is another post).  Anyway again, #303 was in this play.  The details are a little fuzzy and I think I asked her before and the details are fuzzy to her also, but I remember that she had a really, really cool pair of knickers that she wore a lot.  (like maybe it wasn't really her that was wearing the knickers...but she definitely standing right next to that girl),   I think they were purple, but they may have been red (details, details...).  Anyway, I thought they looked really cool and I remember searching the stores for many years (even when knickers went out) for the same pair.  (NOTE - I know it is really weird the things I remember, but....???)

Anyway, fast forward a # of years (25-30 - yikes!) and now I am getting emails from #303 to come view her clothing line at her house several times a year.  She no longer wears knickers, but always dresses to a T and is up on the latest fashions.  I don't make it over the her house every season, but when I do, I always get lots of compliments on the outfits she puts together and I buy.

I think people either have an eye for that kind of thing or they don't.  #303 definitely does...I definitely don't.  Another example...

#303 is an architect by profession.  When I moved into my new house, I asked (begged) for help.  She told me that she did not mind helping with little things, but she really did not have the time to dedicate to taking on the entire project because when she took something on, she would not be satisfied unless she gave it 100%.  Being somewhat an OCD perfectionist myself, I totally got that.  She recommended several ladies to me who did a great job helping me with color schemes, furniture placement etc. etc. etc.  But, when I got in, I was having a big problem arranging my furniture in my living room.  I had two sofas and a square ottoman (which she suggested), but with the TV, the ceiling fan, the fireplace, the rug, the windows...AHHHHH!  I could not get it to look right.  I called in a SOS in to #303 and she came out on an emergency house visit.  She stood back, looked for about 1.5 seconds, moved one sofa to the right, one to the left, centered my ottoman and Voila!  Perfecto!  How the hell did she do that?  Why can't I do that?  You think I am joking, but I am not.  I had moved the rug 3-4x.  I had pushed and pulled and angled and straightened.  In other words I had really tried to make it look right but failed.  It took her under five minutes to look exactly right.  A real talent that I do not possess.

Over the years, we have become friends.  Our boys are the same age and therefore participate in a lot of the same activities.  I repay her kindness of fixing my living room by fitting her in when she makes an SOS call of her own for a kinked neck.   We have taken several trips together including a ski trip back in the day to Crested Butte, Colorado and ending with our most recent...a girls trip to Vegas which included making the Guinness Book of World Records by participating the the great Santa Race.  Over 8000 running Santa's for 5K.  This trip also included running in the Rock-n-Roll Vegas 1/2 marathon in the 32 degrees weather up and back on the Vegas strip.  Even though we were only there for a few days, we managed to fit in a spa trip, some shopping, lots of good meals and watching the Saints beat Washington on the big screen.  Lots and lots of fun!


I know she reads my blog because she comments from time to time...Thanks to #303 for using your talents for the good and helping those of us who are detail challenged!